An investigation by the Daily Mail found four in ten UK care homes had failed inspections this year, with residents being forced to live in filthy and squalid conditions, and some locked in bedrooms without any natural light.

Health chiefs also found OAPs were left starving under the watchful eyes of carers and some were even given the wrong medication.

Police were also forced to investigate incidents of an elderly resident allegedly choking to death and another of a resident being left without care while having a seizure.

Of the 5,300 UK care homes inspected this year, 2,000 were dubbed as inadequate or in need of improvement.

Families of loved ones living in failing care homes had even taken it upon themselves to install hidden cameras in order to expose the mistreatment.

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Dementia patient Gladys Wright, 79, suffered sickening abuse at the hands of night shift workers during her six week stay at at Granary Care Home in Bristol.

One carer tried to force the elderly woman's eyes open while she laid in bed. Another carer at the £800-a-week home was recorded saying "f*** her" while walking away from the mum-of-three after she had soiled her clothing.

Another case found the family of retired nurse Bridget Rees installing a hidden camera at Mary Seacole Nursing Home in East London after finding bruising on her mother's arms.

Footage showed a care nurse slapping and poking the 92-year-old shouting "Shut your mouth" while she was lying in bed.

Gladys Wright (pictured in 1990) suffered a wave of abuse by night shift workers during her six-week stay at Granary Care Home in Bristol

Despite the dreadful conditions, the Care Quality Commission had only managed to prosecute five of care homes in two years - leaving thousands of failing care homes with a warning.

At least 9,000 residents are in homes that fail to meet even the most basic safety standards.

Responding to the latest exposure on UK social care, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Any instance of care falling short is one too many. We expect significant improvements where care is below expectations."

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Four in ten UK care home failed inspections this year

Since late 2014, social care services have being inspected under an Ofsted-style system with homes rated as outstanding, good, requiring improvement or inadequate.

This year, 38 per cent of UK adult care homes were rated as either inadequate or in need of improvement.

As little as 86 homes were graded as outstanding.

A spokesman for Bupa said the reports did not reflect the company's overall performance.